Pokémon Professor

This article is about the Professors specializing in Pokémon. For the Trainer class, see Pokémon Prof.

A Pokémon Professor (Japanese: ポケモン博士 Pokémon Expert) is considered an expert on Pokémon in his or her respective region. Pokémon Professors are often researchers as well, and many times they are the ones responsible for distributing Pokédexes and giving the player their first Pokémon. The first Pokémon Professor introduced in the games and anime, Professor Oak, was also the first NPC ever seen in the main series games. He also has made the most appearances in the main series games, appearing in all games but the Hoenn-based ones and the Unova-based ones.

Pokémon Professors from regions in the main series of Pokémon games are all named after trees.

List of Pokémon professors

Main series

• Professor Oak of the Kanto region, who studies the relationships between Pokémon and humans.
• Professor Elm of the Johto region, who studies Pokémon breeding patterns.
• Professor Birch of the Hoenn region, who studies Pokémon habitats.
• Professor Rowan of the Sinnoh region, who studies Pokémon evolution.
• Professor Juniper of the Unova region, who studies the origins of Pokémon.

Other

• Professor Silktree, mentioned in a note on the PC in the Ruins of Alph in Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver as the founder of the Research Center.
• Fennel of Striaton City, Unova, Professor Juniper's friend who specializes in studying Pokémon Trainers, as well as studying Pokémon dreams.
• Cedric Juniper of the Unova region, Professor Juniper's father who used to be a Pokémon researcher.
• Professor Andrew Park, who runs the Poké Transfer Lab.

Side games

• Professor Krane and Dr. Kaminko of the Orre region, who specialize in the purification of Shadow Pokémon and the creation of Robo-Pokémon, respectively.
• Professor P of the unnamed region featured in Pokémon Trozei!, head of SOL, who invented the Trozei Beamer.
• Professor Hastings of the Oblivia, Fiore and Almia regions, who created the Capture Styler, used by Pokémon Rangers.

Other fields of study

• Professor Cozmo, a Meteoriticist of Fallarbor Town, Hoenn.

Anime

Other professors, scientists, and researchers introduced in the anime include:

Pokémon specialists

• Dr. Fuji, creator of Mewtwo.
• Professor Westwood V of the Seafoam Islands, Kanto.
• Professor Ivy of the Orange Islands, who studies the regional differences between Pokémon.
• Gary Oak of Pallet Town, Kanto, is a Pokémon researcher known to have researched fossil Pokémon, successfully resurrecting a living Aerodactyl and researching the habitat of supposedly extinct Shieldon. He has also shown interest in the legendary Pokémon of Sinnoh.
• Dr. Gordon of Saffron City, Kanto, Pokémon inventions specialist.
• Professor Jacuzzi, Gulpin specialist.
• Professor Lund of LaRousse City, Hoenn, the leading authority on Deoxys..
• Professor Kodama, inventor of the "Affinity enabler".

Other fields of Pokémon study

Pokémon computer scientists

• Dr. Akihabara, anime-canon creator of the Pokémon Transfer System and Porygon.
• Dr. Yung, inventor of the Mirage Pokémon system.

Pokémon archaeologists

• Eve, discoverer of the ancient lost city of Pokémopolis.
• Professor Telesu, who was doing research on hieroglyphics near a Slowpoke colony.
• Professor Hale of Greenfield, Johto, who researched rare and legendary Pokémon including the Unown.
• Professor Alden of Oldale Town, Hoenn, who studied ancient ruins in Hoenn.
• Professor Carolina of Celestic Town, Sinnoh, head of the Celestic Town Historical Research Center.

Pokémon paleontologists

• A Nurse Joy of the Orange Archipelago, who led the expedition to Kabuto Fossil Island.
• Dora, who worked with Gary at the Sayda Lab.
• Professor Proctor of Wales Island, Hoenn.
• Dr. Kenzo of Oreburgh City, Sinnoh, in charge of Oreburgh Museum’s fossil-restoration program.

Miscellaneous

• Professor Sarina of Bomba Island, Hoenn, who teaches at the Pokémon Battle Judge Training Institute.

Other fields of study

Astronomer/Ufologist

• Professor Imori of Unova.

Roboticist

• Professor Brown.

Manga

Other professors, scientists, and researchers introduced in the various manga include:

Pokémon Adventures

• Professor Yanase Berlitz of the Sinnoh region who researched ways to control legendary Pokémon such as Rayquaza.
• Professor Berlitz of the Sinnoh region who works as an assistant to Professor Rowan.

In Trading Card Game Tournaments

Main article: Professor Program (TCG)

At many major Pokémon Trading Card Game Tournaments, officials of the events are known as "professors" and usually wear a white lab coat with a "Pokémon Professor" logo on the back. They are there to make official rulings and supervise the events by enforcing rules and handing out penalties making the events run smoother for all involved.